On October 1, 2000 the city of Westbrook, ME was awarded $250,000
in an EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Grant. The city has
used the funding to assess several properties for environmental
contamination as part of their downtown comprehensive plan for a
“Riverwalk” redevelopment. The Riverwalk will involve
the construction of several office buildings, some commercial business,
a riverfront boardwalk, walking trails, greenspace with picnic tables
and benches, and a bike path that will follow the Presumpscot River
to connect with the neighboring Portland, ME bike path system. In
April 2003, as part of the redevelopment plan, the city celebrated
the groundbreaking for an office building and parking garage on
two adjacent riverfront properties, 25 Bridge Street and 59 Dana
Court . CORE, Inc. has committed to occupying the office space,
relocating 375 employees to the downtown area.

The 135,000 square foot office building and 550-space garage was
constructed by Tim Flannery, a local developer who owns Dana Warp
Mill, a renovated mill building across the street from the new development.
CORE, Inc. is a subsidiary of Fortis, Inc. and a for-profit business
that works with employers and health care professionals to assist
disabled or sick employees return to working after illness or injury.
CORE will relocate 375 employees from all over the Northeast to
the new facility, with plans to expand employment to 425. They also
hold a lease option to expand across the street into Dana Warp Mill.
The new building and Dana Warp Mill will be connected by a glass-enclosed
walkway above street level. CORE, Inc. stated in a news article
that the reasons for selecting the Westbrook location for the new
facility was adequate office space and the flexibility were growth,
convenient access for transportation, nearby amenities for employees,
and the right price. The city had pre-established two tax incremental
financing districts (TIFs) for the office building and the garage
to help defray development costs, which allowed for lower lease
prices to CORE. The city has leveraged $1M in federal highway funds
and $250,000 in economic incentives to defray the $6M cost of the
garage construction. The 550-space parking garage will have 100
spaces reserved for use by the public.

The property at 25 Bridge Street was first developed in 1868 by
Westbrook Manufacturing Company. The company made duck, a heavy
cotton cloth or canvas used for sails and tents. They also manufactured
and dyed cloth for overalls. In 1885, the property had a large 4-story
building with a wheelhouse and repair shop, a weaving building,
three storage buildings, and a small shed. By 1903, S.D. Warren
purchased the property and operated the S.D. Warren and Company
Electric Light and Power Company, Westbrook Station No. 2. By 1909
Dana Warp Mill Corporation purchased the property and prepared threads
for looms. The two western buildings were used by Graige / Conant
Electric and the other two buildings were used for storage. Between
1922 and 1930 all the buildings were used for storage with a residence.
In 1955 Stultz Electric Motor Company took over ownership of the
property.

The former Foye Mill, on 59 Dana Court, was an 8000 square foot
brick building constructed in the 1800s as a part of the Westbrook
Manufacturing Company. C.E. Noyes bought the building and used it
for a tire retread factory. Peter Foye bought it in 1984 and stripped
the vacant buildings for lumber. In October 1992 the building burned
down and all that remained was the filled-in foundation.

The two properties, a total of 1.67 acres, run along the shore
of the Presumpscot River. The city worked with EER, Inc. as their
environmental consultant. The total expenditure for environmental
assessment was $65,000. The Phase II environmental site assessment
revealed PCB levels in three transformers on the property that exceed
ME DEP hazardous waste regulations. In the floor drains of the Stultz
building, arsenic, lead, PCBs, and benzo[a]pyrene was determined
to be at concentrations exceeding ME DEP regulations. EER, Inc.
recommended remediation in the form of soil removal for these contaminants.
It is also recommended that building debris form the former Foye
Mill be removed. Vinyl chloride was found in the groundwater. Although
the property receives water from the municipal system, it was determined
that a deed restriction should be filed to prevent future drilling
of wells for drinking water. The work will resulted in the owner
receiving a Voluntary Response Action Program approval from the
Maine Department of Environmental Protection.